Modupe Gbadeyanka
By Nneka Okumazie
Anyone is allowed to hope in God. If the hope is their engine of motivation and happiness, so be it. It is super strange to say the hope of another is null, or that what they knew they experienced is untrue.
Testimonies are another way for faith, for thanksgiving and to overcome the enemy. Testimony could be the boost to not feel like a failure. Testimonies can inspire others for Faith.
The Bible is full of many testimonies. It is almost impossible to not find something there, to connect to any current situation and to hope against hope – that God will make a way.
When anyone takes a step of Faith, and the Lord wrought wonders, it is often a great way to praise Him by telling others.
Just like no one is unlikely to know what any mind is thinking, or hidden acts, or motives, so is it impossible to invalidate the testimonies of others not witnessed.
[Acts 10:40, Him God raised up the third day, and shewed Him openly;]
[Acts 10:41, Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, [even] to us, who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead.]
Faith in God, for genuine Christians, is not a gamble or a fingers crossed situation, it is to absolutely believe that the Lord will do it. So prayers are made with faith.
[Romans 10:17, So then Faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.]
[Matthew 9:29, Then touched He their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.]
[Romans 12:6, Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, [let us prophesy] according to the proportion of faith;]
Genuine Christians may have different experiences of the Holy Spirit, different gifts, same fruit, different grace, different courage, different careers, different looks, different style choices, different political inclination, etc.
There are differences and diversity in the church, but all of God’s commandments that must be kept.
That a politician is in a true church does not invalidate the Holy Ghost and power of God, in the church.
Yes, there can be political differences and governance dissatisfaction, but if genuine Christians fellowship as Christ encouraged, Jesus is the central focus, not the politician, or anything related to government.
[Matthew 18:20, For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.]
[Acts 2:1, And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.]
Some people often say they are free to criticize the church because Apostle Paul gave an opinion of Apostle Peter’s action.
[Galatians 2:11, But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.]
[Galatians 2:12, When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile Christians, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision.]
This wasn’t a sin issue, but was mainly an issue of the importance of circumcision, and perception or discrimination, or preference of it. Apostle Paul often questioned circumcision.
[Romans 3:1, Do the Jews then have any advantage over the Gentiles? Or is there any value in being circumcised?]
[Galatians 5:2, Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you.]
[Titus 1:10, For there are many rebellious people who engage in useless talk and deceive others. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation.]
Maybe those who want to follow in the steps of Apostle Paul should preach relentlessly about salvation, holiness, consecration and sanctification.
The purpose of his action was – still – to build the church, not ruin it. Apostle Paul had already spent days with Apostle Peter, so they were not going to become enemies – unlike present day critics of the faith.
[Galatians 1:18, Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days.]
Those who like to show off what they have – ostentatiously, would say genuine Christians should not give testimony. Those who desire good things of life would say genuine Christians shouldn’t pray to God for prosperity, health and progress. Those who are full of hate and bitterness would question the need for Christianity, a faith predicated on love.
Those who like to question the scriptures, thinking they are smart cannot help the world to find solution to wickedness, desperation, bias, hate, envy, greed, emptiness, deceit, etc.
The true church does not cause poverty. Poverty results from income, purchasing power
[of the income]
and condition of living.
There is a huge gap between the true church and government. There is also a gap between members of the true church.
Some are genuine, some are not. Some are working out their salvation with fear and trembling, some are loose and on the prowl.
[Hebrews 12:2, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.]
Salvation is for the purpose of change – of heart and behaviour. Not as a solution to poverty, or as a strategy for hypocrisy.
Government is responsible for government. Christ is the head of the church. Government officials can come to the Church, but the Church is not a protest ground, or an activism community. It is for worship – in spirit and in truth.
There have been people who followed the Lord, who also were public service officials.
[Acts 10:1, There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian [band]
[Acts 10:2, [A] devout [man], and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.]
No one knows how accountable the members of the entire Italian band were, but at least Cornelius followed God. He was still preached to by Apostle Peter, and he feared God.
Watching and praying – for genuine Christians – are very important in a world full of evil, wickedness, sabotage, hate, failure, backstabbing, anger, bitterness, greed, desperation, unknown intentions, etc. [Matthew 13:25, But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.]
